Jane is beautiful . Jane lacks strength , the ability to be a leader and assertive. She is not clever and not very smart. Jane is seen as being sweet and positive by some. Ignorant and optimistic by other. What is she?
Is this girl too naive?
or
Is she too polite?
hmm...
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I don't think Jane is naive.
ReplyDeleteI think she's just happy with life. Things don't seem to bug her like they do with Elizabeth. She doesn't feel like she has to analyze everything and I think she'd be happy settling with marriage to someone she wasn't "in love" with.
I think jane is just a simple character, not complex like Elizabeth, I like her for that, but I also didn't put much thought into her because of that.
I don't think Jane is so much naive as content and good-nature towards the circumstances she is given. She doesn't necessarily lack strength, but just doesn't see a reason in being assertive and outspoken like Elizabeth. Jane just kind of floats around, does what she’s told and holds no prejudice (nor pride). I think when compared next to her sister’s “lively” mind and argumentative personality, all of her (and Elizabeth’s) differences are amplified.
ReplyDeleteMaybe she is one to follow rules, she may be a stereotype for the role of women at the time. She can be polite and still have her own opinions, that doesn't mean she has to flaunt them like Elizabeth. Maybe Jane is smarter than Elizabeth in that way. A sort of "say what you mean, and mean what you say" sort of thing. Elizabeth always spouts of the ideal marriage, and how it should be for love. But Jane is the one that actually pursues it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with brigid, Jane plays her role. She doesn't really cross the line or got outside the boundaries like Elizabeth. I especially agree with the last sentence on her comment about, Jane actually doing what Elizabeth always talked about doing.
ReplyDeleteI would not consider Jane to be naïve. I agree with Portia. I found her to be accepting of the lifestyle she was expected to lead. Unlike Elizabeth, she does not compete with her surrounding circumstances. Jane recognized the idea of marrying for security. She understood her mother’s ridiculous ideals to be the product of her desire for her daughters’ safety. I would say Jane lacks the ability to be assertive; however I feel she is strong and could be a leader. Her strength is exhibited through accepting the cards she is dealt. Through following the orders of others Jane leads by example. She silently shows others, such as Elizabeth, that it may be best to “roll with the punches” rather than fight the unavoidable. Contrary to Jane, Elizabeth argues the idea of marrying for security. She risks displeasing her mother to satisfy her own needs. The variety of character traits sparks an interest in Pride and Prejudice.
ReplyDeleteI dont think Jane is too naive or too polite, she just accepts the way life is with a positive attitude. Rather than go against tradition like her sister, she accepts it as true and moves on.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think Jane is naive, but I think that her naivity is one of her more admirable qualities. I know, weird right? She doesn't seem to be soiled by the negativity of the world. She sees things as she is- pure and sweet. She is an optimist to the core. She allows herself to be fooled by Miss Bingley because she chooses to focus on the positive traits she appears to exemplify. I think she wills herself to only see the beauty of the world. Sweetness and politeness are both attractive qualities, and by the end of the novel they both play in her favor. She does, after all, end up with the dashing Mr. Bingley.
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't think Jane is Naive. Jane is there as Elizabeth's confidant and helps her with her many struggles. I think she is solid and one that someone can always count on. Her desire to only see the best in people and to want to not believe that Wickham is a liar can be seen as her being naive, but I don't think that because of that she is. I think that wanting to see the best of people and think that they could do anything wrong is naive. I can't explain this very well. It's like the discussion in class about the short story and marriage. And how someone in class was saying that they didn't have a relationship with anyone that was in it for selfish reasons. And a lot of people were like "come on...there's no way." Because of the way this person chooses to view life, I think that's why they doesn't think they has relationships with people where the main intent is to gain something for them self.I agree with Portia that when we put Jane up next to Elizabeth their differences are amplified.
ReplyDeleteI see Jane as reserved and uncomplicated, though not naive. She's more likely than her sister Elizabeth to bend her idea of "happily ever after" to meet what she feels is the demand of the society. Mr. Bingley is manipulated into believing she does not love him, but it's more like she doesn't project her love. Jane is definitely introspective, she does want to believe the best in people, but I don't think that makes her naive. She probably knows when people are acting badly, but her empathy with the human nature forces her to more readily forgive, and to more readily overlook or sugarcoat.
ReplyDeleteI see Jane as the type of person to accept reality. She sees what is before her and doesn't necessarily question it as Elizabeth would. It seems as though she doesn't voice her opinion as her sister does. Her character reminds me of myself. I feel I don't voice my opinions enough. Like Portia said, it's easy to see Jane is such a way becuase Elizabeth is pretty much her opposite. When they are compared, it's easy to see the "flaws" in Jane's character. But maybe that's just who she is and she is the type of person to see things for what they are and not exactly as what other people see it as.
ReplyDeleteJane is very naive. No, she does not dwell on the fact that she is the family "beauty", but she doesn't do anything to steer away from that title either! I mean, she's passive, as Kelly would say, allowing the world to dump its crap on her, not because she's polite, but because she can't smell herself! What I mean is, she doesn't realize she is being dumped on because of her ignorance. She truly believes everyone is pure of heart and incapable of manipulation and deceit. Or perhaps, she just refuses to believe they are. That I'd have more respect for. But she never acknowledges, even to Elizabeth, the slightest inclination that Caroline or Mr. Darcy or even her mother act unfavorably. It's endearing to believe in only the goodness of others, but it's not on account of wisdom or politeness, just naivety.
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